Sententia Agendi
by woomilla
Summary: Joshua is dead or missing and Shibuya is left without a Composer. The city is on its last legs, and Sora has to win the title of Composer in the Game or else the world will flicker out with him in it. Welcome to Shibuya, the City of Imagination.
1. Prologue - The Composer of Shibuya

Disclaimer: The following disclaimer applies for all of the chapters within this story. I do not own The World Ends With You or Kingdom Heart. This was written for recreational purposes and no profit is being made. Heavy knowledge and understanding of TWEWY and particularly the secret reports is not required, but may improve your reading experience. This fan fiction was planned and was written before Kingdom Hearts 3 or 2.8.

* * *

Prologue - The Composer of Shibuya

* * *

Sora gently patted Meow Wow's forehead as a Peepsta Hoo swooped in to nuzzle at the boy.

Yes. Sora knew that he was sad.

He was sad, but at least he isn't alone. An airy giggle escaped his throat as his Dream Eaters continued their onslaught of tickles. "Stop it guys! It's alright! It's alright! I missed you guys too!"

He heaved, taking a few moments to catch his breath as the Dream Eaters chattered and cooed around him. Sora smiled a small smile. Small, but it filled the boy with warmth. It was immediately sincere.

He had to constantly remind himself during the party that he had to be happy for Riku and his friends, but this smile… it wasn't as forced. He was genuinely happy for Riku, but the thoughts of a silver haired boy with brown eyes and a voice that had given up fighting for his own dreams haunted him. Here, in sleep, at least he was able to have the protection of his friends and not bother Riku or the King. Sora didn't want to be a burden. Flowbermeow mewed (Barked? Meowarked?) and cast a swift Cure, enveloping the boy in a warm green light.

"What are you saying, little guy?"

The critter shrilled again and tossed another Cure onto the boy.

Sora hesitated. "I'm not hurt, it's okay. Donald made sure I was healthy and my body is safe with Goofy and Yen Sid. I'm sleeping so I can see you guys. It's okay-"

A Tyranto Rex snarled and Sora flinched back, curling up as his Aura Lion messily shoved him towards Flowbermeow. The cat-dog cast another Cure and promptly ran up and forced itself into Sora's lap with Meow Wow. They both chirruped expectantly.

Sora blinked. "You… are saying that I am hurt?"

If Dream Eaters could groan, Sora would liken the crescendo of noise to like it. No. Sora paused. It wasn't a groan. They are worried. They loved him unconditionally. It was more of a murmur of approval, one that was understanding, but unhappy about the situation that he was in. It filled him with warmth that reminded him of something that he seemed to have forgotten.

What was his hurt about? He wasn't sad about not becoming Keyblade Master- He just wasn't ready yet. He wasn't jealous of Riku… maybe a little, but that wasn't why he was sad. Xehanort-

His breath hitched and he clutched the fuzzy critters in his arms. Meow Wow let out a little yelp of pain, but Flowbermeow just spat another Cure into his face. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you."

The Dream Eaters' voices cascaded around him again and both Meow Wow and Flowbermeow cured him again.

"I'm not hurt! Meow Wow was the one that got squished-"

Another cast of Cure, this time, by multiple Dream Eaters. The owls turned on their floodlights, centering the Keyblade wielder.

"I'm hurt."

Agreement.

An Eaglider crooned its approval and Sora absently stroked Aura Lion's powerful mane. The great lion had settled beside the boy and the Keyblade wielder sank buried his face into the main. He didn't look at anyone in the eyes. "I'm hurt because... I'm hurt because Xehanort tried to kidnap me. He did kidnap me. Riku had to save me."

His breath hitched and the boy shivered slightly. He remembered the boy that had given up. He remembered the men with yellow eyes. He remembered-

There was a sudden explosion and everyone was at the ready. Sora was on his feet and his keyblade was out. His hands shook but his small army of Dream Eaters was beside him. It would be okay. He would be-

Music filled the air. Music? Why was there suddenly music here- they weren't in the World of Symphony. The music was too modern in comparison to what he remembered of the pianos. A platinum haired teen stumbled into Sora's field of vision.

"Joshua?"

The other boy was winded, breathing heavily. His shirt was uncharacteristically dusty and a slight sheen of sweat coated his forehead. If Joshua noticed that Sora was crying, he didn't mention it. "Sora? I thought you managed to get out. Riku should have gotten you out, why…"

"Oh right! You were sleeping here too!"

The frail looking boy didn't pay attention to his words, "What are you doing here?"

"Traverse Town is for the lost-" Sora's breath hitched. Lost. He was hurt and lost and- A guttural snarl escaped Joshua's throat snapping Sora back to reality. Blue eyes settled onto a growing patch of a dark red. "Joshua, let me heal you. You're bleeding."

Flowbermeow beat Sora to casting the cure, but the other teen barely paid attention to them. The boy's violet eyes weren't focused on his surroundings and dread settled into Sora's stomach. "Joshua?"

A bitter smile appeared on Joshua's face. Sora decided that it didn't suit him. "They can't have you."

Sora's eyes widened. They? Xehanort and his cronies were here? Still? His Dream Eaters tensed up and growled at something that Sora couldn't see. He tensed up."They-"

As quick as the bitterness appeared on Joshua, it vanished. "I won't let them."

Sora barely registered Joshua's words as white feathery wings burst out of the teen's back. They slammed into the ground with a resounding bell chime. Cracks. Multiple. Broken bones and steel-like feathers dug up tile and brick as they wrapped around Sora and his Dream Eaters in a protective barrier. Joshua cast Barrieraja as he collapsed onto his knees.

The music was slowing. Alarmed, Sora ran forward to meet the boy. "Joshua! You are hurt- your wings are broken. We need to set them so they can heal properly. Are they hollow? It'll make it more complicated, but my Dream Eaters know-"

"There is no time. They know that I'm here now." Bright blue eyes looked into violet with worry and confusion.

"What do you mean? We need to hurry then."

A broken laugh crackled out of teen, but Joshua pulled Sora into an awkward embrace. "No. They can't have a Keyblade Wielder and your friends need you."

"But you are my friend too! You said so yourself!"

"That was a mistake." Affronted Sora, backed up slightly to face the teen. He opened his mouth to say something, but Joshua would have none of it. He pressed his forehead against the brunette's. "Shh, we don't have much time."

"Joshua, you are MY friend, even if you deny it." Sora blinked. Joshua was cold. Really cold. The other boy was shaking. What was going on? He could barely catch the murmur that escaped Joshua. "What did you say?"

"Remember Rhyme?"

The little girl with a bright smile and a world full of wisdom flashed in Sora's head. "Of course! She- Is she okay? Is Neku and other okay? Joshua, you are bleeding a lot; you really need help."

"These are her dreams. I'm entrusting them to you." Icy fingers palmed something into Sora's hand. It looked like the portal that Joshua used, but smaller. Brighter. The small sun was fashioned into a keychain with a tiny downy feather on another tassel.

"What?" Sora tried to shift away but Joshua's other arm had snaked behind his head, forcing the boy to look at him in the eyes. Joshua didn't apply or seem to have enough strength to _force_ him to stay there, but the Sora couldn't bring himself to physically push Joshua aside. This wasn't the Joshua that Sora remembered. Joshua was smart. Confident. The Joshua that Sora remembered looked frail, but he was not this quivering mess of bones and blood.

"Joshua, I'm going to heal your leg first- Why is there a chain attached to your ankle?"

The broken laugh came back like china crashing against tile. Worry washed over Sora. Joshua was most definitely not okay in more than one aspect.

"Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Thank you for being my friend."

* * *

Joshua jumped backwards, evading the angry swipes of the Dream Eaters. "I'm leaving. Keep him safe."

Sora stood in a daze. Blue eyes were unseeing and he remained curled up against a very annoyed Aura Lion. It will be alright. Sora would be okay. The chain on his leg pulled violently and Joshua slipped. The barrier shattered. The boy let the chain drag him away in slow, paced pulls. Joshua smiled slightly, watching the trail of blood and crimson feathers grow longer as they pulled him.

The Dream Eaters sensed something wrong and halted their chase after the supposed threat. The Aura Lion roared and the remainder of Sora's army reared backwards, suddenly weary of the people that were dragging him away.

They could feel them.

They could feel the Angels.

Good. They are cautious and weary of them. Joshua took a deep breath and Sang; forcing a portal to appear behind him. The Dream Eaters couldn't speak, but there was no need for them to see this and possibly relay information to Sora.

It was worth the little energy he had left. They couldn't get their hands on a Keyblade Wielder.

Dull violet eyes focused on the copy of the Cat Mural that he had copied. The art had NOT been his intentional addition, but his memories had mingled with Rhyme's when he was creating the illusions of the children to kill time. He avoided this part of Traverse Town, as well as any part of the abandoned city that had graffiti.

CAT mockingly glared down at him. Its hands were up in the air in a mocking jeer.

He had begun to hate _his_ art and the memories associated with them, but Sora took precedence.

The chain on his ankle pulled, dragging him against the rough brick road.

It stopped.

Joshua bled.

CAT stared.

The chain pulled.

It stopped.

Joshua bled.

CAT still stared.

A tyrannical cry from Julius, the one legged cat sent after him, shook the ground. Joshua could hear Sora and his Dream Eaters readying for a fight. Sora was stronger than the cat that the Composer of Shibuya occasionally toyed with. He will be alright.

The chain pulled.

Joshua closed his eyes and let himself fall into the next layer of sleep.

They didn't waste any time. Bright lights forced the teen to open his eyes. Handcuffs burned into his wrists and his wings were carelessly bound in behind him. More fragile bones shattered under the force of the chains. Joshua didn't pay attention to the pain. He couldn't or else he would pass out and they would chase after Sora.

"YOsHIYA KIRYuu, CoMPoSER oF ShIBUyA." They murmured as one. "WhAT dID YOu imPRInT oN THE KeYBLADE wiELDER? wHY diD yOu iMPArt yOUR pOWER, cOMPoSer of SHIbuYA."

Joshua held his hands up, in surrender. He ignored the shaking of his arms and the tingle of the cuffs. There was no point lying. "The feather is to fuel the imprints for a sustained period of time out side of my realm. Imprintation will last, even after my death. I imprinted instructions for the wielder to leave and not interfere with your work."

Work. Ha.

They murmured, some argued and after a moment, a blade of light appeared. It settled against Joshua's neck, drawing blood. "wHAT aRE THE tWo OtHER IMPrInTs."

"He must protect his own."

The blade dug in. A warning. Shibuya's Composer rolled his eyes. What did they think? Joshua was not an idiot to just leave Sora hanging like that; especially since the boy had considered him as a friend.

Had.

"tHE lAST?"

"To forget me."

* * *

/end Prologue

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	2. 01 - Today and Tomorrow

Chapter 1

* * *

A man walked forward to the control panel, tilting his head in acknowledgement to the soldier manning the stark white bay. Grey eyes cautious watching the sleeping boy inside the myriads of glyphs.

Li Qiu Yang narrowed his eyes. The child was young. He glanced upwards at the numerous panels searching for a name and title.

Yoshiya Kiryuu, Composer of Shibuya; World A22BaE9sQ21wV18sVT

Enchanted pins pierced through limbs and wings alike, keeping the child aloft against the wall. Broken wings that healed in the wrong position sat under heavy glass panels which fed data to the mainframe. Glowing blue text carved tiny rivers of blood in the boy's pale skin, pulsing with every labored breath that the frail body forced out.

Shibuya was lost and her Composer was tacked onto wall like a morbid butterfly display. Qiu Yang let out a heavy sigh. It was a pity that things had to come down to the current state of things. "I presume that there has been no further interference from the Fallen Angel?"

"No sir."

"Excellent. The next session of interrogation shall be extended by the order of the Goddess. We'll need to increase security. Shibuya's days are numbered."

Qiu Yang closed his eyes and bowed slightly towards the unconscious Composer. "May this child's last moments be peaceful and painless."

* * *

Master Yen Sid closed his eyes and stroked his beard while Sora, Donald, and Goofy shifted before him. The low voice of the retired Keyblade Master rumbled, "Riku and Kairi have already gone ahead to their assigned world. Are you sure that you three will be able to protect Shibuya before they arrive to assist you? It is a dangerous task and one that is not to be taken lightly."

Donald gave an indignant squawk but quickly reigned in his reaction towards the now glaring wizard. "Master Yen Sid, we can do this! Vanguard duties are not something to be taken lightly and it's not like it is the first time that we marched head on into dangerous territory. There are people depending on us!"

Sora nodded in agreement. "Yes, Master Yen Sid. This world needs help and it needs help now. With everyone helping at the end, I'm sure we can save Shibuya."

A softer smile crossed his face as he remembered his friends from the realm of sleep. Neku, Shiki, Beat, and Rhyme needed his help. Sora's smile grew confidently as he remembered their adventures while Sora and Riku slept for their Keyblade Mastery test. "I have some friends in Shibuya. We won't be charging in blind."

Yen Sid carefully watched the resolve build in the young boy's eyes and nodded. "I will also ask King Mickey to come and help."

A puzzled look crossed Goofy's face. The bipedal dog scratched his head. "His Majesty will be coming too? Is the situation that dire?"

The wizard frowned, carefully choosing his words. "Shibuya is at risk because she is dying- not because she is dangerous. We didn't have enough resources to help her until now."

Sora's eyes widened. "Dying? You mean Shibuya is fading to the darkness?"

"No. This is not a matter of light or darkness. Shibuya is normally in a lane of balance. She is dying."

"What does that mean- how does a world die? What happens to the people living in Shibuya?" Sora was in half a panic. This situation was unprecedented for him. Even Xehanort didn't-

Yen Sid shook his head. "I would like you to look for the cause and work with the Keyblade Masters. At this stage, we request that you strictly gather information and do your best to remain safe. We need information in order to move forward. Are you three ready?"

"Yessir!" chimed the trio.

* * *

"It's right here? I can barely see anything…" Sora tucked his hands behind his head and stared out the cockpit as Donald ground the gummy ship's engines to a halt. A grin spread across his face. "This should be a piece of cake!"

Donald just shook his head and gripped the gummy ship's steering wheel. "I don't know Sora; Yen Sid said to be extra careful. He is even sending King Mickey and Riku to meet up with us later."

The teen gave an excited little hop, "Exactly! If the King and Riku are coming to team up with us, what could stand in our way? I almost feel bad for our enemies."

"Gwarsh, Sora, I sure do appreciate the optimism, but we do need to be careful, or at least until we meet up with them. We don't know what to expect in this world." Goofy sauntered over to study his young Keyblade charge.

The boy's blue eyes steeled slightly, but the reassuring smile only widened.

"I promise to be careful. We need to get home in one piece to see our friends, right?" The two soldiers relaxed slightly, appeased with the boy's answer. They were ready.

Sora pivoted, summoning his keyblade. A sharp light burst forward from the tip of the blade, illuminating the small cockpit into a harsh white. Tendrils of light curled, quickly rooting itself into the hidden walls. A bead of sweat appeared on Sora's forehead as he concentrated on Master Yen Sid's words.

* * *

"Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Riku. What you must do is break into these trapped worlds and bring them back to the Realm of Light before they are completely snuffed out by exhaustion. These worlds aren't merely trapped by the darkness, but there is a great force of pain holding onto these worlds. You must help these worlds to cope and grow from their pains."

The old wizard closed his eyes and stroked his beard. He paused for a moment, mudding about in his own thoughts. The occupants of the room sat patiently.

"You will not be welcome; the pains will conjure enemies and heartless to fight you in an attempt to protect itself. These chains of darkness tax heavily upon the world. You must destroy the pain from the inside before it dies from exhaustion."

* * *

Sora frowned. The world has yet to respond to his prodding.

Blue eyes snapped open. There! A small wisp of warmth, of hope, reached towards Sora's light. The wisp brushed against Sora's light. A cream light enveloped the three heroes, protecting them as it whisked them towards the planet.

The glow faded.

Bright blue eyes widened.

Noise.

There was so much _noise_.

Skyscrapers brushed the skies with steel trees. Bright reflections of the sky, gold, white, and blue, danced on the glass panels. The grays and blacks of the concrete roads and sidewalks were offset by people of all shapes, colours, and sizes. People were milling at the sidewalks, others were talking on a device and rushing to some unknown destination. Murmurs of voices and engines filled the air like a static for Sora. This was nothing like Destiny Island or Disney Castle. The city was _alive._ People were thriving and every square inch of the sidewalks is filled with humans.

However, something didn't seem right. For starters, there was a loud horn blaring from the left. A man started screaming; but the horn was getting louder and louder. Sora quickly turned his head towards the source of the noise.

Oh! A bus.

 _A bus._

Sora wondered if Donald would cast Curaga in time.

* * *

Koki Kariya is, by definition, a lazy man. When the new Conductor, an officer that he had never seen or even heard of offered him a promotion to the status of an Officer, he naturally rejected. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue. Everyone in the upper ranks _knew_ that Kariya was not interested leaving the field and they wouldn't even consider forcing him into a position that he never wanted.

Megumi Kitaniji was a reasonable and understanding Conductor, if not a bit insane with his own attempt to reform Shibuya with a singularity mindset. The former Conductor dreamed a _wonderful world_ , but Kariya knew it would have been _boring_ to say the least. Who wanted to be a mindless zombie with no free will anyways? The trial period was crappy anyways.

Yes, it was a shame that Conductor had to be erased and replaced, but the man's imagination would be recycled into back into the city and allow for the city to grow further. Or, at least that is what would have happened under the guide of the Composer's Music.

The Reaper frowned as he watched the people milling in the streets, unaware of the Underground that is shaped around them. There hasn't been a Game since Phones and the renegade Reaper, Beat, won. Hell, Phones and his friends wiped out half of the Officer staff that had enough imagination that could even considered being a Game Master.

Shibuya's imagination was deteriorating. People were coming up with fewer ideas and the mass of dead eligible for the Game is becoming larger and larger. The Reaper staff had their hands full protecting the mass of imagination from the new threat of Heartless and the Taboo Noise to even host a Game.

And, what's worse, is that Koki Kariya is now an Officer against his own will.

The lollipop in his mouth cracked as the orange haired man vented his frustration on it. Bloody hell, he wanted to hang out with Uzuki and eat ramen. He most definitely not do all of _this_ work delegating and organizing Reapers in UnderGround.

He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the paperwork in front of him. The numbers were conflicting. There has been a severe lack of imagination being reintegrated into the city. Hell, even the losses of his men on the field weren't being renewed into the city; they were snatched up by the Heartless (what the hell are they?) and the Taboo Noise that were getting more and more powerful as the time goes by. By all accounts, the living population of Shibuya's RealGround should be decreasing alongside with the economic and cultural downturn that the city has been suffering through since the last Game. The only losses in the living were easily found in the giant ass mass of imagination that the Reapers are now forced to protect instead of recycling back in.

Kariya ran a hand through his ginger hair. This was the third report confirming that people weren't leaving. RG Shibuya and that the mass of Imagination was tilting heavily towards UG. In all of his years of work, the City had thrived in balance. The new mystery Conductor, Yangui, was tight lipped as ever and barely acknowledged the questions fielded by the Officers and Reapers.

Everyone was getting increasingly antsy and exhausted. The lack of Games isn't sustainable, especially with the Taboo Noise and Heartless.

If Kitaniji was erased during Phones' last Game, it would be wise to presume that the last Composer was also erased and returned to the City. So, what the hell was the current Composer doing? Who was the Composer? Phones? The hot-headed Beat? Could Kariya even _find_ the Composer?

He pushed his sunglasses up and tossed the depleted lollipop stick into the trash bin. How much trouble would he get into if he left the office to hunt down information regarding the two former players? Are they even in UG or RG? Would it even be _worth_ chasing them? Kariya hummed in thought. A small smile crossed his face and the young man stretched as he stood up from his seat. If Minamimato got to run around making his junk piles, nobody would be too pissed at him playing hooky, would they?

His door opened, startling Kariya.

"Oh, hello there, Kariya. I hope that I am not interrupting anything important." Yan Gui had his ever serene smile plastered on his face. The Conductor was dressed in a simple suit, with a taxidermized sparrow splayed on his lapel. Yan Gui called it cute. Kariya found it disturbing. "I've brought some dango for you. I thought of you when I passed by the store."

"No, sir. Thank you very much sir. I was just finishing these reports. What's the occasion?"

"We are having a Game this week and I thought that you might want the extra energy. The Game Master will be Sho Minamimato. Would you kindly inform the Reapers with haste?"

"Sir, to be frank, would provide more imagination for the Heartless and Taboo Noise be wise at this point? There will be plenty of Players that will be unable to fight them off, especially in the first few set of days."

The glazed over eyes and smile barely changed. "Yes, it will be a bit of a gamble. I have left strict instructions to Minamimato that the Players are to assist the Reapers in eliminating these threats. We need the man power, especially with our losses. I will send out the instructions after you make the announcement. We won't have any surprises."

A Game? Now? Was the Composer finally moving after 8 months of inactivity? Kariya nodded and barely fought off the feeling of dread settling in his stomach.

"Alright. Game on."

At least he had dango now.

* * *

Sora's hands shook. This was most definitely not in the plan. Shibuya needed him alive and able to _fight_ not dead and in someone else's twisted Game to live.

His price… He _had_ to win the Game. He flicked his wrist and nothing appeared. They couldn't just take his _keyblade_ could they? The brunette shook his head. No, no, no. Sora had to keep his head into the game. A keyblade wouldn't just let itself be used by anyone. He still had some time to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

Yan Gui, the weird man who had called himself a Conductor and explained that if Sora completed the missions,followed rules of the Game, and won had said that he could return to Real Ground if Sora won.

The boy took a shaky step out into the open. He scanned the area with a quick glance and took a deep breath. He was Sora, a Keyblade Master. A game made up by a pasty bastard shouldn't scare him.

At first Sora wandered through the busy streets, watching the masses of people with wonder. Shibuya was unprecedented for him. The World that Never Was and her city were large, but utterly and completely devoid of the bustling noise that seemed to drown the air space. Music and shop owners shouted from their respective stores. Tidy little restaurants filled the air with delectable smells while shop signs glittered brilliantly. Sora paused before a store, cautiously peering in the window.

A television, much thinner and sleek in comparison to the ones that he remembered from home, was showing an image with a far too familiar face on it.

"Police are asking for public assistance to identify an unidentified youth. He is has brown hair, and blue eyes, no older than 17. A sketch drawn by a coroner is to my left. A white pet duck and a brown black dog were with him. If you have any information, please contact your local police booth." The news lady stopped talking and a commercial came on and Sora stepped back from the shop pane.

So it was true. Sora was dead. A pit settled down in his stomach.

"Ribbit."

He was alone.

"Ribbit."

He was alone and everything that he knew and trained for didn't apply in this blasted world.

"Ribbit"

His keyblade. His gummy ship. His-

"Ribbit!" A frog jumped onto his head and mashed its legs into the still chubby cheeks of the caramel haired boy. The young man let out a startled little shriek, stumbling at the sudden contact. "Ribbit."

Sora steadied himself; quickly turning his head to the source of the noise. A black monochrome frog, sat in front of him. Red eyes gleamed and lunged forward, nearly missing Sora as he sidestepped away. "Wha?"

This was no heartless; this creature felt different. Poisonous. The frog lunged again, this time leaving a cruel streak of red in Sora's arm. The gloved hand flicked from muscle memory, but no blade appeared. Sora cursed. He couldn't fight.

"What the _hell_ are you doing, Player?" A man in a black hoodie pulled the boy behind him. Sora stumbled and landed on his rear, eyes focusing on the skeletal wings of the man before him. "We are in EC; make a pact with another Player!"

Sora stared dumbly. "A pact?"

The man swore again. Purple shoes lunged forward as Sora's mysterious savior jumped forward and parried the black frog with a blast of light. "Tenho! At your ready!"

"On it, Beej! Kid, make a pact with the boy over there before the Taboo Noise start targeting you too." Sora spun his head over to the voice. Another hooded man, this time in red and carefully holding a little girl's hand, ran over to them. "Quick!"

As sudden as the frog appeared, it disappeared, this time with two mysterious men with wings.

Sora blinked, mouth open to ask where the men went, but the small child quickly distracted him from the bizarre scenario. He bent over, making eye contact with the young girl. "My name is Sora. What's yours?"

"My name is Rhyme."Rhyme. The name sat on Sora's tongue- familiar and foreign at the same time. A beanie with a small skull pin covered the top of her head as bright blonde bangs framed her face. Blue eyes looked into Sora's. "Would you please make a pact with me?"

"A pact? What for?"

"The Game! Didn't you get your instructions on your cell phone?"

A blank stare was leveled at the child. "What's a cell phone?"

Another frog suddenly appeared, lancing the child's cheek and Sora immediately put himself between her and the creature that the two men had called Taboo Noise. Red beady eyes watched the two and it crouched again. Sora frowned. They only had a few seconds to run if they were to have a chance.

Dainty little fingers wrapped around his wrist. Sora turned his head to look at the girl. Her fingers barely made it past the sleeves of her shirt as she grabbed his wrist. "Please Sora! Make a pact with me and we can fight them off like the two Reapers earlier!"

Fight? Okay. That was something that Sora was familiar with. "Alright-"

A sudden bright light enveloped them both and Sora stumbled slightly. The frogs seemed to have multiplied. Panic set in. What was going on? Rhyme was nowhere to be seen. "Rhyme? Rhyme! Where are you?"

A voice chimed in from thin air "I'm okay! Get ready, Sora! The frogs are coming! We have to work together so we can beat them!"

Sora leapt away from the sudden wave of webbed claws. "How? I have no weapons"

"Don't you have pins to fight with? I have the light puck right now, so keep safe and look for your pins! Get ready to fight when I pass the light puck over!"

Hands were shoved down the deep pockets of his shorts. Pins, pins, pins, where are these supposed pins- There! Sora grabbed a handful and pulled them out. Five pins with bright and bold graphics sat in his palm.

"I'm handing it over to you! You can only hurt these black Noise with the light puck!" A green light enveloped Sora. The warmth was fresh and poignant, much like the warm meals that Mom made on a cold stormy night-Sora shook his head, and focused on his surroundings. This was no time to be distracted. The Noise were suddenly cautious, unsure of the new glow that engulfed the young man. Rhyme was counting on him to clear his end. He grabbed one of the metal buttons decorated with a flame, determination welled in him.

But nothing happened.

"Uh, Rhyme? Nothing is happening?"

"Not everyone can use every pin! Keep trying! The black one with the skull is not for combat!"

Sora stared at the pin in his hand. It wasn't the pin that she described. He groaned and reached for another. This one had a duck on it. He wrapped his fingers around it and dodged another strike from the amphibians. A fresh bite of mint washed over Sora and he watched as his wounds closed.

"That's a healing pin! I'm glad that you can use that one! Do you have any other pins?"

The second pin worked and Sora suddenly sped forward, sending the frogs flying with the sudden momentum. One screamed as it faded into static and the other two responded by filling the air with bubbles. The keyblade wielder ducked away, wary at this sudden development. The green light faded and Rhyme's voice could be heard over the noise. "Good job! I'll hand it over soon!"

He glanced down at the two pins that worked. The first was the healing pin and the second… A stylistic wolf decorated the front. He flipped them over as he jumped away from the two frogs that remained. #129 – Healing Flamingo –Duck Edition and #303 – Wolf.

Excited, Sora tested a few more pins. The keyblade wielder was curious as to what new powers he could master in this strange world. He held a button decorated with bubbles and breathed. But nothing happened.

Before disappointment can settle in, one of the frogs fizzled away and the green light enveloped him again. The little girl had dealt with most of the frogs and the last one looked like it was ready to attack. "Thanks Rhyme!"

Sora popped the last pin in his hand and struck out. He nearly dropped the pin from shock, as his keyblade rushed forward to strike down the last frog. The bizarre world faded away along with the shrill shrieks of the frog. Sora let out a sigh that he didn't know that he was holding in. He had his keyblade.

Things will be okay.

A voice greeted them as they phased back into existence. Sora squinted, struggling to remember the name of the strange men in front of him. Beej, was it? "Great job clearing those Choirfrogs! I was worried there for a moment. A lot of Players can't handle the Taboo Noise even if we equip them with higher leveled pins at the start."

His friend nodded. "You both have a decent amount of Imagination. Get acquainted with each other; we need to check up on the other Players."

Rhyme shuffled uncomfortably and hid slightly behind Sora. "Why are you helping us like this? Your friend here is a support reaper, but you are a harrier…"

"Ah, so you know the Game well then? A second time player? That's rare. Tenho, a moment please." The man in the black hoodie nodded his approval. His friend in the red hoodie sauntered back over. "We are currently in an Emergency Call, something like a state of emergency. The city is being overrun by artificial Noise that attack players and reapers unprovoked. We call them Taboo Noise as manufacturing them is illegal. The Conductor and Game Master have ordered us to protect the players who haven't been crushed by the pin psychs and guide you to the end of the Game. I'm BJ and this is Tenho. Any other questions, kiddos?"

"BJ, we don't have time for that. Taboo Noise is close to killing another pair- Try not to get Eaten, kids." Tenho gave an offhanded wave as he dragged his friend away.

"B-But…" The pair disappeared before Sora could say anything else. His shoulders sank down. "I'm so confused. How do we get killed if we are already dead?"

Rhyme giggled and Sora turned around to face her and stuck out a hand. The girl timidly gave a handshake back. "Thank you for making a pact with me, Sora. A lot of people didn't want to because I'm young."

Sora frowned. "Why would people say no because of that? You handled yourself in that fight, didn't you?"

"I was told that I was delicate and weak looking, but I guess that you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs" Sora smiled. The little girl gave a worried little smile back. "You seemed to have some questions earlier, maybe I could answer some? A problem shared is a problem halved."

"It would be great if you could answer some of them." Sora smiled brightly, leading the girl to a concrete perch nearby. He patted the seat next to him as he studied his partner. Rhyme was wearing an oversized salmon sweater with baggy overalls worn as shorts. She looked no more than 12. "Come on, sit down. We have some time, don't we? You seem to know a lot about these pins. What are they?"

Rhyme pulled out a few pins and placed them on her palm. "These pins let us use something called psychs. It's kind of like having super powers! This black one with the skull is a Player Pin. It means that we are a part of the Game and lets us use the other pins or scan people for their thoughts."

"We can scan… people's thoughts? That's a strange power." Sora pulled out his own set, studying them "I can't use them all; is there a reason for that?"

"My friends told me that it has something to do with Imagination. The more Imagination you have, the more pins you can use. I'm not very sure about the specifics though. We can sell the ones that you can't use and the ones that the enemies drop for a little extra pocket change."

"Who were those men from earlier?"

"They're Reapers! I had a friend who was one, but he didn't last very long apparently. They are kind of like people who make sure we follow the rules and make it harder by making us do certain things so we can access the city. The rules are to follow the mission given on our cell phones before the time limit is out. Today's mission was to beat four Choirfrogs; so we did okay on that!"

"Uh, I don't mean to be rude or anything with all these questions, but what's a cell phone?"

"You don't know what a cell phone is?" Disbelief crossed her face. "A cellular phone? A smart phone? A personal handheld device? You don't know what a cell phone is and you are in Shibuya? Did you lose your memories or something?"

"I, uh, come from a small island." Sora smiled sheepishly. "And I might have lost some of my memories," he added, when the shock on the child's face didn't seem to disappear.

"Hoookaayy, I guess your price to play the Game was your phone. Talk about addicted…" A salmon coloured sleeve snuck into her pocket before pulling out a small device. "This is a cell phone. I guess I'll be the one getting the missions, but we will have to solve them before the time limit on our hands run out. See? Here is the message that said that we cleared today's mission."

Sora glanced downwards to study the fading timer on his hand. "What happens if we don't finish on time?"

"If we don't finish the mission, or if someone else doesn't finish it, we get erased." Rhyme paused.

"Erased? Is that like being Eaten like the Reapers said before?"

"How did Mr. Hanekoma explain this…" mumbled Rhyme as she fidgeted with her sleeves. "We get absorbed back into the Imagination? No, that's too complicated... If we get Erased, we lose the game. I don't know what being Eaten is…"

"That's alright. This is very different from what I remember."

"From what you remember? You've played the Game before?" A mixture of curiousity and suspicion was evident on Rhyme's face.

"I've dealt with something similar." Sora waved it off. "I'm just a little confused as to how winning this Game would bring us back to life."

"Didn't the Conductor tell you that the Composer would bring us back to life at the end of the Game?"

"Yeah, I guess he did in a roundabout way." Sora squinted at his memory. The man who called himself Conductor barely let Sora ask any questions, before shoving him into this Game. "I just have a lot of people depending on me and I have to get back. It's just so sudden."

The girl hummed as she swung her legs. "I know of a friend that can explain this more. His name is Sanae Hanekoma. Maybe we can meet up with him if we don't hit the sleep timer."

The little girl hopped off the makeshift bench and motioned Sora to follow. "I thought we were dead. How do we meet up with someone who is not dead and what is a sleep timer?"

"Oh! The Player pin lets us go into buildings with Reaper decals. It's so that we can stock up on supplies and buy pins to help us in the game. Mr. Hanekoma has a decal on his coffee shop, so we can visit him. To stop the Game from being too dangerous for the Players, we are put to sleep so that they'll be safe for the next round."

"So we might be put to sleep mid-way to your friend's place."

"Yep! So let's go! Time waits for no one!"

Sora smiled, "Alright, Rhyme. Lead the way."

* * *

A/N: Sora used Splash! But nothing happened.  
I must apologize for all the jargon. Hopefully I have explained it well enough in lore, but feel free to ask questions. I will be happy to answer them.


	3. 02 - Taboo

A/N: I'm not taking eight years to upload? Enjoy!

* * *

Day 2 Taboo

* * *

"Only five pairs survived to the second day. Those that were burnt by the psychs have been returned to the Imagination's current hold. Our footsoldiers managed to collect 85% of the imagination left behind by the dead before the Taboo Noise had Eaten them. Losses account to our own forces account to 15% and 20% are incapacitated or heavily wounded. The remaining players are asleep and will be woken up later this morning to help account for our injured."

Kariya quickly listed off a few more points off the list in front of him. In his honest opinion, the Game should not have been started. Protecting the imagination from the Heartless and Taboo Noise will be even more difficult.

"Thank you Kariya. Is that all?" Yang Gui leaned back into the crisp white sofa. Fish slowly circled in the aquarium underneath his feet. Dead God's Pad was where the Reapers connected with the Conductor, but it has mostly been empty since Yan Gui took up the title. Kairiya stared downwards, koi fish circled around his seat as well, seemingly sensing his unease. His own drink was left untouched on the coffee table.

"No sir. The Game Master is still unaccounted for. I've been sending mission mails in his place. Is this acceptable to the Composer?"

The smile didn't budge. "I don't believe the Composer expected much out of our current Game Master anyways. Thank you for taking up the mantle. Oh, and Kariya?"

"Sir?"

"Use my full allotment of points to feed the injured first and the rest of our men. I have no need to make new pins for this game; it will be better off in the hands of the men. Make sure they are well taken care of for the duration of the Game."

Kariya faltered for a moment. The Conductor was using his own points to- It was unheard of. Points are needed for the survival of both Reaper and Players at the end of the Game. The new Conductor will probably lose his position at the end of the Game. If he isn't erased out of the results of the failed game, with no points, Yan Gui will probably be erased in a desperate attempt to get fresh flowing Imagination in Shibuya. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Morale is at an all time low and your Game Master is working against you. The City and her people are turning on each other. Surely you have noticed from your reports? She's a toxic nightmare right now. She's crying out for help."

"Excuse my hubris, but is the new Composer aware of their duties? Was our current Game Master the wisest choice?"

The dark haired man closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. It was the most emotion that Kairiya had seen out of Yan Gui. "The City will stand through the trials of the Game, no matter what outside influence may say."

The ginger haired man scowled slightly. Sho Minamimato will not be tamed and will most likely cause more trouble. They didn't have the man power to deal with his trash heaps let alone his tendency to go wild. Kariya bowed his head slightly. "I see. I will make sure that the Reapers will be attended to. Thank you."

* * *

Uzuki Yashiro was at her wits end. She pulled at her pink hair and snapped her knee high boots against the pavement. "I get having to fight those things for points instead of playing with the Players, but come on! Delivery duty for ramen?"

"Come on, Ms. Yashiro. This was a request directly from Officer Kariya and the Conductor. Dogenzaka isn't that far off from A-East." A small girl in a white dress chided the older Reaper as she walked past, lugging a large crate of take out ramen with her. The two players followed after her, each with their own bundle of hot food.

"Shut up, Watanabe! This is the sixth delivery today! I want to slurp some down for myself!" Uzuki grumbled, but she followed the lead set by her junior and charges. She narrowed her eyes. Kumiko Watanabe irritated her in a completely different way than Kariya did, but the kid was alright. Watanabe worked hard and was handy in fights, even if she looked like she was nine. It was the two Players that were assigned to her that took her interest. The gangly brown haired boy didn't worry her, but the other child in the group?

The brat was in the last game.

She narrowed her eyes. Uzuki knew she wasn't the brightest tool in the shed (or whatever Kariya called her that one time), but even she sensed something was wrong. Did the girl kick the bucket twice in the last eight months? She could have sworn she had seen the child in RG with her Skullheaded friend.

"The injured take priority, Ms. Yashiro. Come on! Two more deliveries and then we are done!" Egads, the brown hair kid drove her up the wall with his optimism. "Maybe we can get a fight or two so you can vent your stress on something."

"Shut it, brat!"

"I have a name; It's Sora." He slowed down to match her tired pace. Little Skullhead Jr. was quietly chatting with Watanabe. They had stopped a little ways off of the intersection for a break. "Are you doing alright? You don't look so good."

"I'm just frustrated. It's nothing to be worried about." She gently placed the take out on the ground and stretched her shoulders.

He reached over and picked up her bags of food with one hand, lightening her load. His comically sized shoes stopped and Sora turned towards her. "I'm willing to lend an ear. Sometimes it's not good to keep it pent up. Emotions are a good thing, but if it blinds you, you will fall down in a trap. I learnt that the hard way."

And here she was, getting advice from a PLAYER. Uzuki screamed internally. "Look, it's none of your business, alright?"

"Our mission today is to help guard the Reapers. If you are distracted to the point where you nearly failed to jump into a fight with your partner, then it is a problem. Besides, it's nice to talk with a friend."

Red flushed upwards and Uzuki looked away. It was true. The last fight with the Taboo Noise was sloppily executed on her end and Watanabe struggled with the Taboo Noise by herself. Hell, even the Players finished their fights before they did.

"I'm just tired of fighting these things… and I miss my best friend. I… don't make friends easily with my personality." She slowly walked forward. Sora didn't seem to mind her pace.

"Oh."

"He's not dead or anything. He just got a promotion. Normally he refuses, the idiot, so he can stay with me. I was holding him back because I'm far too brash and not experienced enough. He did most of the thinking and stopped me from making bad choices. Maybe he left because he was tired of waiting for me. I haven't seen him since. We text, but…"

Uzuki had no idea why she was talking to this blue eyed idiot. Something about him seemed trustworthy. Normally, this would raise her alarm bells, but the teen seemed sincere.

"I'm mad at myself. For not being able to keep up with him. For not being able to keep up with Watanabe. Watanabe has the gist of my issues, but she is still so young. She's talented like my best friend. I'm afraid of getting her killed because my idiocy and love for fighting. I have… to be the bigger person and I'm not used to it."

"Have you talked to her about this? Partners should be able to talk to each other. Maybe we can have lunch early and have a chat."

"Like I said, Watanabe gets it. That's why she puts up with me." Uzuki let out a little laugh. She pulled out her gun and spun it in her hands. The girls had ran ahead to look at Lapin Angelique's newest display, and more importantly, out of earshot. "We are harriers. We erase without a thought and don't blink twice when things turn sour. It's a part of the Game. But what if I misjudged the opponent? What if I can't see the bigger picture? It's kept me from growing in the past and it's… frustrating."

"I think your friend would be proud of you for trying to take care of your new partner." Sora glanced at the tweens in front of them and didn't seem to catch Uzuki's bewildered stare. "Rhyme seems to know so much more than me, but I get it. She's little. You can't help but want to help them, especially if they are helping you back. I'm used to working alone, let alone working with someone younger. It's a hard process, but when you see them happy, all of the efforts seems to be worth it. I'm sure your friend felt the same way."

Uzuki nodded. Her Reaper wings relaxed for the first time in what felt like ages. Kariya… Kariya was a good senior. She missed him, but she was going to make him proud or else he would never let Uzuki live it down. She looked up at the kids in front of them. Rhyme. So that was the kid's name. "Oi! Brats! Stop gawking, we have two more deliveries!"

"Hey, Ms. Yashiro?"

"What?" She glared at the boy as the girls scampered over.

"I'm glad to have spoken with you. This world is filled with interesting people. I'm glad that you are one of them."

The woman made a face of confused disgust. This optimistic cheery-cheery mood was getting to her. _HER_. "You're weird, you know that?"

Sora just laughed and brought the food in to the sick bay.

* * *

Concert Stage was filled with injured Reapers. Rhyme sat idly with Sora's jacket wrapped around her. Her eyes were glazed over. Sora walked over with two plastic cups of water. He quietly placed one next to her, but the child didn't respond. The hall itself was deathly quiet, save for some of the medical units rushing back and forth. Yashiro and Watanabe were outside guarding the facilities with a few other able Reapers. Screeching of the dying Noise echoed through the gates.

Yashiro's gleeful cackling was the only good noise coming out from the chaos outside.

"Rhyme." He sighed and sat down beside her. His fists were tightly clenched into a ball and he could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. "That was bad, wasn't it?"

She spoke in a small voice, curling up into a smaller ball. "Yeah... It was. I wish we could have helped them somehow."

* * *

Sora and Rhyme jumped out of their battle with a wave of static. Rhyme giggled and tentatively raised her hand; "High-five?"

Sora raised his arm and gave a hearty smack to the proffered arm. "That was a quick and easy battle!"

She gave a bright smile and nodded. "We're totally going to get to Mr. Hanekoma's shop in no time!" Rhyme faltered for a bit, "But I guess we should wait for the other two, huh?."

"Yeah. Come on, let's sit on the bench. It's free." They settled on the bench and Sora stared up into the sky. Today was cloudy, but the sun had finally peeked through. He closed his eyes, letting the warmth soak through, ignoring the other mass floating in the sky. He could worry about that later, when he had full access to his keyblade. Rhyme started humming. "I'm surprised at how much you know, Rhyme. Even the other Players don't know as much as you do when it comes to the Game."

Rhyme giggled again. "Say thanks to Mr. Hanekoma with Tamaki and Kara later; I only know so much because my friends introduced me to him."

"Alright. Say, do you know anything about that heap of garbage over there? It isn't in RG as people are walking through it."

Rhyme tilted her head in the direction Sora was pointing at. "Nope, I have no idea what that is."

A familiar static filled the air and the two immediately shot to attention. The others were here. Tamaki exited out of the discoloured space.

No.

Tamaki's torso _fell_ from the static. Black and white crabs clung to his body and almost a dozen more materialized, biting fresh new wounds into the man's body. His legs were missing and arms flailed hopelessly against the armoured crustaceans. Tamaki's screams bit through the background noise of RG.

"Hey! What's wrong- oh shit!" Yashiro and Watanabe rushed over. The pink haired woman kicked several of the Carcinopunks away from the flailing body. One of the crabs had Tamaki's arm dangling out of its jaws. Watanabe shoved the rest of the crabs onto the mess and started their battle, sending the Taboo Noise away with a dizzying static of colour.

The arm fell down with a noisy splat. The city didn't stop for a moment. People walked by as if nothing happened. People were unaware of the screaming man thrashing on the pavement. Rhyme stared in shock. Sora stared at the arm.

New Taboo Noise, attracted to the fresh scent of blood, materialized and inched towards the dismembered limb.

A man in a yellow sweatshirt jumped in front of them. Another Reaper in a black hoodie conjured up a colourful, purple porcupine. The creature gently nuzzled Tamaki and Tamaki's screaming body instantly dissolved into static.

The arm twitched.

Yellow picked Rhyme up and shoved her into Sora's numb arms. He nearly dropped her. "Run to the shelter! Get to safety, NOW! Get us back up!"

* * *

"They were Eaten."

"Yes." It was worse than being attacked by the Heartless. Heartless stole your heart and sent it to Kingdom Hearts. If you were lucky, you could be reunited with your body and live. Sora was used to being able to work around the Heartless. If they were too strong, you could retreat and try again. The brunette unclenched his fist. Foggy memories of a warning of danger whifted in and out his mind and the boy downed his water. Perhaps he had bitten off more than he could chew alone, but he didn't know of any other keyblade wielders who knew he has here. Sora operated alone.

"It could have been us." She buried her face into her sleeves. Sora inched closer and sat silently. "I remember being Erased. I lost the last Game, you know? I was eaten by a normal Shark Noise. Not a Taboo one. I came back… I don't know how I survived the Game. I lost my entry prize. I remember being erased. It didn't hurt. It felt like a warm static-ey blanket overcoming my Soul."

He let her cry.

"But they… they…"

Sora closed his eyes. He could still hear the Carcinopunk's claws crunching on bone.

"I-I guess that's why… they're taboo." She hiccupped and finally picked up the water. Sora nodded approvingly as she took a few sips of water. The older teen rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a packet of tissues (that a nice lady gave to him when they browsed through the clothing store earlier) and held them out. Rhyme took the proffered tissue paper, blew, and whispered, "T-hey pop out of thin air and chase you. They don't let you run. Y-You have to beat them or- or it's over."

They stayed silent for a long moment.

"Sora?"

"Yes, Rhyme?"

"Can we still go see Mr. Hanekoma? I want to ask him about some questions."

"Of course. I need some answers as well."

* * *

It felt pointless, but Rhyme held onto Kumiko's hand as they crossed the busy street when the pedestrian light flickered on at Towa Records. A foggy voice reminded her to do so. Who's voice? She couldn't remember. It wasn't important right now.

She had asked Ms. Yashiro and Kumiko to come with them to Hanekoma's coffee shop. Even if Sora was super strong, Rhyme felt a little better with the two Reapers nearby. The younger black haired reaper had to help her convince Ms. Yashiro: she said something about treating her to hot chocolate to make up for the morning. The pink haired reaper cursed up a storm, but agreed begrudgingly.

The blonde looked at the one of the displays as she walked past. An up and coming idol group had commissioned CAT to make their album art. She paused for a moment. Kumiko, holding her hand, stopped as well. Sora wandered ahead seemingly attracted to the green space of Miyashita Park.

Ms. Yashiro peered over the girls' shoulders. "Rhyme, was it? Did something catch your eye? We don't have a lot of time left before your sleep timer activates, so make it quick." Rhyme flinched at her voice. The Reaper was intimidating and Rhyme didn't forget her cruelty from the last Game. "Relax. Even if I wanted to play with you, the rules specifically state that we are not to create conflict and focus on the Taboo Noise and the-. You didn't stop for any reason. What's up? Do you stan any of these boys in this boy band?"

"No. I just saw some art of a friend. Let's go before we lose sight of Sora." Rhyme appreciated the woman _trying_ to make things less awkward, but it didn't change the fact that she was the reason why Rhyme failed her first game. Towa Records, as usual, was busy, but it didn't change the bad memories haunting this place. The three women quickly shuffled towards Miyashita Park. Sora was perched on the overpass, watching the crowds. "Hey Sora. What do you see?"

"I guess I'll be blunt." He hopped off, landing on the sidewalk in front of them. "So what do you Reaper guys do about the Heartless swarming the people? They're actively hunting the people in RG, but don't target us and people don't seem to know that they exist. The hearts don't have anywhere to go other than converting into more of them or-" He pointed upward, tracing an invisible heart in the sky, "amassing in the sky into an artificial … power source. That will definitely be a problem."

Kumiko tightened her grip on Rhyme. Heartless? Rhyme glanced at Sora. She looked up. There was only the sun, hidden behind the clouds. A few sparrows darted in and out of her vision. The young girl squinted.

Nope. Nothing.

Ms. Yashiro spoke first, "You… can see them too?"

Sora nodded. "I'm technically not supposed to be talking about this, but I had a feeling that you Reapers knew about them. Districts with heavy Reaper presence seem to deter them. I didn't see them when the game started, especially when Tenho and BJ protected me. A-East was practically empty; I was expecting them to target the weak and injured, but they seemed almost fearful."

The pink haired woman could barely keep her lower jaw attached to her head. "How can you see them? They are on the wave length of-"

"Our Reaper Pins keep us safe from them, sometimes, if we don't screw up." Kumiko interrupted her senior. The shorter girl pulled Rhyme along with her, walking past the two older members of the group. Red and yellow eyes of both Taboo Noise and Heatless watched the loitering party. "Can we get to the coffee shop first, I don't like being in the open for Taboo Noise or the Heartless to notice us. Cat Street and the access to the underground station is infested and is generally a no go zone. We need to move."

Rhyme stared at the three as if they each grew a third head. "Is this a part of the Game?"

The short haired girl didn't slow down. Rhyme nearly missed the barely audible reply, "I don't know."

* * *

They made it to CAT Street. Heartless swarmed the streets and Sora was secretly glad that his Keyblade was sealed away in the pin. They didn't seem to notice the Keyblade Master as they scurried around them, giving them a wide berth. He waved clutching his Player Pin and the mass of black Heartless surged away from them like soap to oil. It didn't change the fact that those yellows eyes followed their every move.

"Which shop was it, Rhyme?" He glanced at the lines of shops. Each was eerily empty, save for the staff and the occasional Heartless crawling in the displays. The city was alive, but this district almost seemed dead. She lifted her arm up, finger barely peaking from her salmon sleeves, and pointed at the cafe with an obvious skull decal. The decal itself seems to repel the Heartless, making the shop stand out from the sea of black and yellow. Sora could barely make out the Taboo Noise watching them from a distance with their beady red eyes. "Huh, there is a lot of enemies over there. Should we turn back?"

"No." Yashiro shoved him forward and Sora stumbled slightly. He looked back at her, confused. "Move. We're not dealing with _this_."

Sora looked past her. There were two Dragon Taboo Noise flanking them on the left, a RHINO Taboo Noise on the right, and the Heartless seemed to be happily cooperating with them in a unified shift towards them.

"Right." The brunette swallowed and spun on his heel. Sora hauled each of the children up, tucked them under each arm, and bolted. A flailing arm hit Sora in the face. Sora snapped through the surprised shrieks of the girls, "I have longer legs; you two, stop complaining!"

Watanabe unhelpfully transformed her complaints into inappropriate airplane noises. Rhyme giggled for the first time since the Taboo Noise incident. Yashiro bolted past him (how did she do that in heels?) opening the door to the cafe for the four to slip through. Sora leapt through as the woman slammed the door behind them, ignoring the splats from Heartless colliding with the glass pane. The two adults heaved, trying to catch their breath.

A deep laughter filled the air. Sora turned to face the source, while Rhyme raised an arm and waved. "Hello Mr. Hanekoma!

"Hey kiddo. Welcome to WildKat." A man with an obvious five o'clock shadow waved, smiling past his round shades. He was dressed in a well fitted waistcoat and had his collar popped. He lazily pointed behind them. "That's quite the entrance, Rhyme. You have quite the fans."

Sora glanced backwards. A Neoclassical Drake was sitting outside the door, watching them with unblinking red eyes. Shadows sat patiently beside it, almost doll like compared to the heaving lizard. Sunlight failed to pass through the window panes as more and more enemies huddled against the glass. He nervously laughed as he put both girls down.

Yashiro narrowed her eyes, "You-"

"One hot chocolate, please!" Watanabe bounced back as if nothing happened, interrupting the scowling woman. Rhyme carefully climbed up to the abstract barstool next to the excited girl. Sora quietly joined her, nervously glancing back at the growing audience of Heartless behind the glass window. Yashiro only glared at the barista.

"Sorry kid. I only serve the best cuppa joe in town." Hanekoma laughed at the sheer betrayal on the tiny child's face. "Would you like the usual, Rhyme?"

"Yes please and one for Sora too." Rhyme smiled slightly as she watched the man work. Sora joined her. Swift, but graceful movements betrayed the tension in the room and hot filtered water was carefully measured out and placed into the machine. Hanekoma hummed as he carefully measured out roasted beans. Sora let his guard drop instantly, despite the monsters outside. A voice whispered to him as the bright notes of coffee filled the air. It was safe here.

"Thanks Rhyme."

"You're welcome."

Yashiro sighed and joined the three at the bar table. "I didn't expect it to be you, Mr. "Guardian." Decaf dark with extra milk for junior and a straight dark roast for me. Who are you, anyways?"

"Sure thing, I'm Sanae Hanekoma. I'm the sole hip barista of the WildKat. I was born on March 3, blood type A, Pisces, and a born gambler. My favourite word is "windfall" and "natto" gets my tummy rumbling." He gave the woman a teasing wink as he placed down Rhyme and Sora's orders. "You still interested, sister?"

"No tips for you," was the stony reply. He just laughed again and started working on another set of drinks. "The Players have some questions."

"Slow down. Enjoy the moment. I'm not going anywhere."

Sora looked down to his mug and took an appreciative whiff of the drip coffee. The aroma was invigorating and the acidic notes danced with the sugar and milk and left Sora energized. Maybe he _could_ take on the Heartless swarm outside. The group slowly relaxed to the acoustic beats on the stereo systems. Sora smiled, "This is really great."

Hanekoma grinned. "I'm glad you like it, _tourist_. Are you enjoying the city?" Rhyme shot a quizzical look to her partner. Sora gave a reassuring smile.

"Yes Rhyme, I _am_ from some far off islands. It's quite different from what I'm used to." And the rest of the universe, apparently. "It's nice though. I never thought I would such tall buildings or see this many people in one place. It's exciting, in its own way."

The barista barked out another laugh. "Now here's a lad who knows how to appreciate the little things in life."

"Mr. Hanekoma?" Rhyme interrupted the man's laugh. The barista gave the child an interested glance through his half lidded eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I have a lot of questions about this Game. Can I ask some?" She stared into her mug.

"Fire away."

"What are Taboo Noise? Why can't the Reapers control them like normal Noise?" Rhyme clenched the mug and shivered. "Their Erasure is not gentle. It's… not kind."

"They are forbidden Noise that chase Players and Reapers alike. They will not stop until they are dead or their prey is dead."

"I-I know that! The Reapers can tell me that Mr. Hanekoma." Frustration entered her voice. Sora closed his eyes and remembered. What it was like to be twelve? Fourteen? He could barely remember. Rhyme continued, "What do they want? If the Reapers aren't in charge of them, what do they want? Why are they hurting everyone? This Game is so much worse than the one I was in and that was horrible already. Where do they come from?"

Hanekoma remained silent for a moment. "They are stealing Imagination from Shibuya. This Game is flawed in that Shibuya has no way to return Imagination back into the cycle."

Yashiro slammed her hands down, "This is the first Game in eight months! What does that mean? Is the new Composer stupid? They are supposed to be taking care of this city!" She paused. "I mean, there is a new Composer, right? There's no other explanation for the long ass wait and this confusion, right? Why isn't the Composer giving directions about the new monsters, the Heartless? Kariya said that they were stealing off Imagination too!"

The barista remained silent.

Sora sighed and rubbed his forehead. Today has been a long day. He asked, "What do the Taboo Noise need Imagination for?"

Tempered glass shattered, bursting inwards like sugar candy panes. Sora dived over Rhyme, shielding her from the brunt of the blast. Dust replaced the warmth of coffee and the stereo systems screeched in protect shuttling out chunks of static at irregular intervals. The stinking breath of the Drakes flowed inwards, but it wasn't the great dragons that destroyed the wall. Sora squinted past the settling dust, trying to make out the one responsible for the interruption.

"I want it, you useless yoctograms. _I_ want Imagination." A lean man stalked forward. Tattoos covered his entire torso and black ink covered his arms like gloves. The ink markings reminded Sora of the Taboo Noise that quietly followed the stranger in. Shaggy silver hair framed a handsome face, but it was distorted by a gruesome snarl. Sora shuddered. This man was steeped in Darkness, and not in a positive way. The smile that the Reaper offered was predatory and offered nothing nut malice. "I want enough Imagination so I can erase that pale, demeaning bastard and take my rightful place that I was primised. I'll use any tool at my disposal to drain his power and win."

Sora blinked. Was this man talking about the Conductor, Yan Gui? The Game wasn't to kill the Conductor or Game Master. The Game was to live and help the Reapers. Rhyme said that this Game was different in that way. What was the intruder talking about?

Watanabe peered over her mug, barely phased from her seat, "Ah. It is Mr. Game Master. What brings you here -" She flinched and dodged a metal napkin holder hurled at her head. Furniture was tossed aside as the Reaper cleared his path to the party. The child soldier gave the two Players a worried glance and Yashiro nodded.

Sora blinked again.

"Look, I know I'm not the one to talk, but attacking civilians is a major no-no in the Reaper Code." Yashiro rubbed her temples and walked forward, trying to diffuse the situation. Watanabe shifted slightly, making a Reaper wall with her senior against the Heartless and Noise tentatively inching in. "I know, it's tempting and the barista has a _really_ punchable face, but Shibuya is in a bit of a pickle and we can't exactly afford more complications and more dead people."

Sora blinked again. His friends were trying to protect them. Sora looked at the café clock and cursed. The sleep timer will be fully active in a few minutes. Could they hold out? He carefully rummaged through his pockets, looking for the familiar warmth of his keyblade. He could cast Sleep or Stop if he had-

"Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally! He is definitely not a civilian; he's not even mortal." The GM gave off a maniacal giggle before settling a level stare at his fellow Reapers. Skeletal wings bloomed, slamming into the walls and cutting through drywall, blocking off all escape routes. Heartless filled in the holes, disoriented, but still scuttling forward. Taboo Noise curled up around the the Game Master, hungrily staring at the occupants of the small cafe. They were too close for Sora's comfort. "Interfere and I will eat you both. Be good little pawns and stay there."

Rhyme stumbled against him, eyes drooping. Sora let her lean against him. He clenched his hands. He was a Keyblade master and he could do nothing against the clock. Sora hopelessly watched as his newly made friends stood ready against a force that HE was trained to deal with. All it would take is just… one…

Hanekoma sighed and rubbed the back of his head, ignoring most of the occupants in the room. "Damn it, it's hasn't even been a year! Insurance is going to murder me. Can't you use the door like a normal person, Sho Minamimato?"

"My drakes told me that you came back to hide in this little hole, you factoring hectopascal. Why would I go off on a tangent?" Minamimato swept forward, slamming a hand into the counter top. The quartz table top cracked under the pressure. Hanekoma didn't blink. "Where is he? WHERE IS THE COMPOSER?"

Sora's head drooped down. His eyelids were too heavy. His keyblade pulsed for attention between his fingers. The young blond girl beside him was already softly snoring, slowly fading into the realm of sleep. Sho… Minamimoto… is the Game Master? Why was a man who could seemingly control the Taboo Noise a Game Master?

The barista just rubbed his chin and ignored the angry man in front of him. Hanekoma gave an understanding nod to Sora. "Ah, right. The sleep timer. Sora! Rhyme! I'll need your help handling the Game and Heartless. Follow your instincts and you'll find me tomorrow."

"You have the gall to USE these fractals like you used me?"

"Girls, go out the back! Get out of he-"

Sora's eyes shut into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Uzuki's opinion of Hanekoma's face being punchable remains entirely her own.

Thanks for reading! What does Hanekoma have in store for our two heroes? Why is this part of Shibuya overrun with Heartless? Will Uzuki ever get her ramen fix? Find out in the next chapter of- *shot*

Please Review!


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